Harry Shearer Coming Back to The Simpsons

Actor Harry Shearer, who voices Mr. Burns, Ned Flanders and Smithers on The Simpsons, will return to the animated show after all.

Entertainment Weekly reports that Shearer has signed the same deal as his five fellow primary voice actors on The Simpsons: Dan Castellaneta, Yeardley Smith, Julie Kavner, Nancy Cartwright and Hank Azaria. That means Shearer is contracted for four more seasons (though FOX has only renewed the show for two more years right now), earning an estimated $300,000 USD per episode.

Jean even wished Shearer the best of luck in his future endeavors while revealing that the voice actor's roles would be recast. That won't be the case now, however, with Shearer back on board. The 71-year-old actor also provides the voices of Seymour Skinner, Lenny, Dr. Hibbert, Kent Brockman, Reverend Lovejoy and Otto.

As for Shearer's late signing, it shouldn't interrupt the 27th season of The Simpsons. There are apparently seven holdover episodes from last season (with Shearer's voice), and his contract was signed early enough before new cast members were brought on.